2013 Preview: Former FAMU player Earl Holmes returns to lead Rattlers

HEAD FOOTBALL COACH EARL HOLMES
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
(Courtesy FAMU Athletics)

ORLANDO, Florida -- There is a lot to learn for a first-time head college football head coach, and sometimes the transition from assistant coach is painstaking.

For Earl Holmes, however, he has the luxury of being quite familiar with his surroundings as Florida A&M’s new leader. He played at FAMU and he was an assistant coach for the Rattlers, serving last year as the defensive coordinator before being named interim head coach for the season-ending Florida Classic against rival Bethune-Cookman following the retirement of Joe Taylor.

But the familiarity goes far beyond that for the former NFL linebacker who played 10 years as a linebacker for the Steelers, Browns and Lions before retiring in 2005. Holmes grew up in Tallahassee, and he was an all-state linebacker at FAMU High in the early ’90s.

So the first-year head coach knows a little something about Rattler football.

“It’s been a tremendous changeover from me because I’ve already been here with these kids … in fact, I recruited more than half of these kids,” Holmes said.”

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Former NSU's James Doughtie among hall of fame inductees

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- J.R. Reid, an All-American basketball player in high school and college, and NFL return specialist Mel Gray are among the six Hampton Roads athletes who will be inducted into the 2013 class of the African American Sports Hall of Fame in November.

Joining the two are athletes Leroy Jones, James Doughtie, James Flowers, and Juanita Etheridge, along with two going into the Hall of Fame as community contributors: the Rev. Dr. Michael Daniels and the late Dr. Clarence Cuffee.

The banquet is Nov. 23 at the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel.

But locally, he was known for his play on the basketball court at Norfolk State from 1971-73, where he was the center on three CIAA tournament basketball teams.

Doughtie was an outstanding football player and track star at Portsmouth's Woodrow Wilson High School and Norfolk State. At Norfolk State, he was a four-year starter at linebacker and team co-captain from 1974-77. He was a member of three CIAA championship teams. In track, Doughtie was an All-American in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

While starting in the Norfolk State secondary, Flowers established a reputation as one of the best defensive players ever to play in the CIAA. The Lake Taylor High grad was an All-American in 1976.

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Defense Dominates In Shaw Scrimmage

RALEIGH, North Carolina — The defense dominated in Shaw's final preseason scrimmage held Saturday afternoon at Chavis Park.  The offense managed only one touchdown, while the defense had two key interceptions, a fumble recovery in the end zone, and numerous sacks.

 

The performance today shows marked improvement from last week's scrimmage - when the offense ran over the defense.

 

"We got more guys back on defense," head coach Robert Massey said of the change.  "We had some guys back (from injury) that didn't play last week.  We got the beef back, so we were able to shut down the run.  We're competitive on the back end against the pass."

 

The defense set the tone early, when Chris Ellerbe intercepted a pass in the red zone.  On the next play, after the offense had reset, Terrance Evans recovered a fumble in the end zone.

 

Massey was not overly concerned about the offensive performance.  "We know the offense is potent.  We had some guys who weren't here or were limited today."

 

Quinshon Odom started the scrimmage under center, but Massey says that the battle to replace Shaw passing record holder James Stallons isn't over.  "If we were to play tomorrow, Quinshon Odom would be our starter, but we don't play tomorrow.  We have two weeks to figure this quarterback situation out."

 

Trevious Folston, who was injured in a car accident on his way to camp and only started practicing this week, is the top challenger for the spot, according to Massey.

 

But it was William Joyner who led the Bear offense to their only score of the afternoon, connecting with Raheem Richardson for a pass of over 30 yards and the score.

 

Early in the contest, the Bears seemed to favor the passing game - with last year's leading rusher Marquise Grizzle playing only a few snaps because of lingering injuries.  As the afternoon progressed, the offense turned more to the running game.

 

" We're not going to throw the ball 50 times like we did last year," said Massey.  "We've got a veteran offensive line and a good running back corps, so we're going to mix it up."

 

Massey, who also serves as the team's defensive coordinator, said the contest showed the strength of the Bears.  "We're strongest in the defensive backfield.  That showed today.  We're going to cause a lot of problems for people."

 

Shaw opens the 2013 football season with a home contest against Charleston (WV) on Saturday, September 7 at 1:00 p.m. at the Durham County Memorial Stadium.  Both single game and season tickets are on sale now.

COURTESY SHAW UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Bowie State Honored with Division 2 Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Awards

CLEVELAND, Ohio  -- The Division II Athletics Directors Association (D2ADA) announced the 2012-13 recipients of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Awards.  The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level.

A record number of institutions (169) and student-athletes (6,801) are recognized for the 2012-13 Academic Achievement Awards.  Bowie State University had nine student-athletes recognized from five different athletic programs.  The Bulldogs joined Chowan, Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, Saint Augustine's, Shaw and Virginia State among CIAA schools to academic achievements through D2ADA.

Representing Bowie State were Kassandra Bishop (Tennis), Cassandra Clayborne (Softball), Megan Alexander (Softball), Gregory Koepping (Football), Hayley Flint (Softball), Mariela Hernandez (Softball), Iyabode Sodipo (Tennis), Paige McIntosh (Volleyball) and Ayanna Tweedy (Track and Field).

“I would like to congratulate our nine award winners,” said Bowie State Athletic Director Anton Goff. “It is a testament to their dedication and hard work in achieving a high level of success in the classroom and on the field and court.  It is also a reflection of the priority that our coaches and staff put on academics.  I am extremely proud to have our student-athletes recognized in this manner.”

In order to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the student-athlete must:

•         Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
•         Have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
•         Have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year

"The D2ADA would like to thank and congratulate the institutions that took part in honoring the record number of student-athletes with 2012-13 Academic Achievement Awards," stated D2ADA President Anita Barker, director of athletics at Chico State University.  "We continuously strive to recognize and honor deserving Division 2 student-athletes.  This award gives us the platform to showcase these individuals and their efforts in the classroom, as well as on the playing field."

The D2ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division 2 athletics directors. For more information about the D2ADA, please visit www.div2ada.com. The D2ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 49th year. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Goal-Line Defense Highlights St. Aug Football Scrimmage

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- The goal-line defense stood out during the Saint Augustine's University second preseason intra-squad football scrimmage at SAU Stadium on Saturday, August 24, 2013.

The defense allowed no points and forced one turnover during simulated red zone situations. Linebacker Keyon Elam (Fr./Miami, Fla.) intercepted a deflected pass in the end zone for the defense.

"The defense did quite well," St. Aug Head Coach Michael Costa said. "If we can continue that during the year then we will have a pretty good season. As they say, offense wins games but defense wins championships, and we are trying to win a championship."

Elam's interception was one of several highlights by the defense. Defensive back Dominique Marsh (Jr./Norfolk, Va.) rocked a wide receiver with a nice, clean hit on a short pass and stopped two running plays for negative yards. Defensive back Brandon Taylor (Fr./Opelika, Ala.) intercepted a pass and defensive back Anthony Tucker recovered a fumble.

On offense, speedy wide receiver Jermaine Jones (Redshirt Sr./Wilmington, N.C.) turned two short passes into long gains including one for a 70-yard touchdown. Jones is the 2013 NCAA Division II Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. Wideout Brian Richards (Redshirt Sr./Waldorf, Md.) made a leaping catch over the middle and wide receiver Herman Reaves (Redshirt Jr./Miami, Fla.) held on to several passes despite taking tough hits after the reception. Running back JJShawn Pinkston (Redshirt Jr./Mooresville, N.C.) showcased his elusiveness while LeQuinton Williams (So./Cairo, Ga.) displayed his power.

The scrimmage featured game situations in which the ball was placed at the offense 20-yard line, the defense 20-yard line and midfield. The officials refereed the scrimmage which gave the players an idea of how games will be called under the new NCAA rules. Players will be automatically ejected for hitting defenseless players above the shoulders.

Costa says the scrimmage helps him and the assistant coaches prepare for the regular season. The Falcons visit Division I North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m.

"We were able to evaluate a lot of people," Costa said. "We took a good look at the players to see who can help us on offense, defense and special teams."

The Falcons are predicted to finish second in the CIAA Southern Division and third overall in the conference. They are shooting for their third winning season in four years.

COURTESY SAINTAUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

College Football Preview: Miles looking to return to playoffs

Miles College Golden Bears
NCAA Division II: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SICA)
Head Coach: Reginald Ruffin, entering third season

2012: 8-3 and 6-1 in SICA; Returners on Offense: 8; Returners on Defense: 8
Last year, Miles College finished second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's western division behind league champion Tuskegee on its way to qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in school history. Miles lost 41-7 to West Alabama in the first round of the playoffs.

Potential Roadblocks:

The Golden Bears start the season with two difficult road games -- Sept. 7 at the University of North Alabama followed by at the University of West Georgia the following week. Senior Day is Oct. 24 when Miles hosts Lane College followed by at Stillman College Oct. 31 and at Tuskegee University to end the campaign Nov. 9. "We definitely don't have a cupcake schedule," Coach Ruffin said. "With our success in the first two seasons, expectations are high here at Miles."

What Prevents You From Reaching Goals?

Last season, Miles College earned the league's top-rated offense averaging 34 points per game. Unfortunately, the defense finished near the bottom of the leagues' statistical rating, finishing sixth out of 10 teams. "Coming into this season, we knew we had to get much bigger on the defensive line," Coach Ruffin said. "We've made some good moves including signing stronger and bigger players in the offseason. That will help us as we proceed through the year."

What Needs To Go Right?

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Alabama A&M football capsule (CFB preview)

Alabama A&M Bulldogs
Coach: Anthony Jones (79-49 at Alabama A&M)
2012 record: 7-4
Starters returning/lost: Offense 6/5, Defense 4/7

Set the GPS for: A rocky, curvy road. There are some key positions to fill, including quarterback, placekicker, running back and the left side of the offensive line. The Bulldogs started out 6-0 a year ago but that seems unlikely this time around with the rebuilding facing Jones.

Team pilot: Brandon Wells will go into the year as the No. 1 quarterback, and Jones believes it's essential for his QB to be as much a great leader as a talented passer. Seniors like A.J. Clark, Montaurius Smith and Jeremy Isabelle can help set the tone as well.

Along for the ride: Returning offensive linemen Justin Goodrich, Alan Cruz and Devin Dobbins will help create holes for the running-back-by-committee set-up of Brendan Johnson, Brandon Eldemire and Barrington Scott, a transfer from Ball State.

Red light: Inconsistent quarterback play can be fatal. If Wells struggles, there is no shortage of understudies who could step in but at what cost long-term?

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Concordia looking to build strong foundation in 2013

COACH DON LEE
CONCORDIA COLLEGE - SELMA

Concordia College Alabama Hornets
USCAA Division I (Independent)
Head Coach: Don Lee
(First official season, took over reigns after third game in 2012)
2012: 7-4; Returners on Offense: 9; Returners on Defense: 10

Potential Roadblocks:

The Hornets kick off the season Aug. 31 in the Lone Star State taking on Abilene Christian University. The team has other challenging contests such as Stillman College in Tuscaloosa Sept. 7, Miles College in Fairfield two weeks later, University of West Alabama in Demopolis Sept. 26, and at Delta State Nov. 9. "We have a very difficult schedule," Coach Lee said. "Each week will challenge us immensely."

What Prevents You From Reaching Goals?

"This is my first official season as head coach since assuming the reigns after the third game of the 2012 season." Coach Lee said. "I get to start a team fresh. My goals are to bring back the Hornet pride, focus on academics and on the field performance, and instill a "one heartbeat" mentality amongst my players, coaches, trainers and staff. Concordia College has always had a rich football tradition and outstanding talent. My job is to mold that talent into a football program we can be proud. Also, I got my full coaching staff in place July 1. I feel behind the curve in being prepared and am concerned this could be a challenge heading into the season."

What Needs To Go Right?

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Alabama A&M fans willing to dispose of some income can enjoy Bulldogs' first trip

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama A&M's road schedule finds the team in Houston, Atlanta and Baton Rouge, among other stops. But its fans with disposable income - key word: disposable - might want to keep the Bulldogs' season-opening journey in mind.

Alabama A&M plays at Grambling on Aug. 31. It's a mere 65 miles west from Eddie Robinson Stadium to Sam's Town Casino, ranked by Tripadvisor.com as the top casino/hotel in Shreveport.
There's also the Eldorado and, in nearby Bossier City, the Horseshoe.

Fans who want to make a long Labor Day weekend of it can catch the comedian Sinbad on Sunday night at Sam's Town. Windstorm is playing Friday at Eldorado.

Closer to campus, fans may opt to stay at Monroe, 45 minutes away from Grambling but it's on the Huntsville side of Grambling. Dining options are relatively generic. Even more so at Ruston, but Ponchatoulas comes recommended for seafood and Cajun cooking, Dowling's for barbecue.

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Texas Southern extends broadcast agreement with Bounce

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Texas Southern University Department of Athletics has announced that all TSU Tigers home football games will once again be broadcast live on KHOU’s Bounce Digital TV Network. The network can be accessed on digital channel 11.2 in the Houston area and will be broadcast tape delayed on channel 310 on Comcast.

The announcement was made on Friday, August 23, and follows Comcast SportsNet-Houston's release that it will air five home games tape-delayed.
Comcast SportsNet tape delayed broadcasts of TSU will be shown on Tuesday’s at noon following the scheduled home games. CSN subscribers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas will be able to tune into the CSN broadcast. Games can be accessed on Comcast channel 39 and in high definition on Comcast channel 639.

This season will mark the third consecutive year KHOU’s Bounce Digital TV Network will deliver TSU football games into the homes of the Houston area.

Nick Strong serves as the play-by-play announcer for the broadcast while former TSU defensive standout, Dejuan Fulgham, will provide color commentary.

Comcast Sports Group consists of local sports networks that deliver 2,400 sporting events, breaking news and analysis to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes annually.

TSU’s first home game at BBVA Compass Stadium will take place on Saturday, August 31st at 7:00 pm when the Tigers take the field against Prairie View A&M in the 29th Annual Labor Day Classic. KHOU’s broadcast of match-up will start at 7:05 pm CST.

 

COURTESY SWAC.ORG 

Alabama A&M scrimmage displays a sense of urgency as opener with Grambling nears

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The reality is sinking in. A sense of urgency has arrived.

On Friday afternoon, in various corners of the Alabama A&M football office, there was a game-week buzz starting to generate. On Saturday afternoon, in a 2 ½-hour scrimmage, that was carried over onto the field by the A&M players.

"The kids know they're a week out. You can only fake it for so long," coach Anthony Jones said. "They realize they're a week out and we've got to start, quote, playing for keeps. You can talk about what you're doing, but the ultimate thing is doing what you said you can do, or doing it better."

The Bulldogs open the 2013 season at Grambling State at 6 p.m. on August 31. The Tigers are coming off a 1-9 season but have revamped the defense and are more experienced on offense.



Saturday's scrimmage was directed toward preparation for Grambling rather than competition for starting jobs in the A&M lineup, with Jones said, "I'm not concerned with who's number one. I'm just worrying about trying to get them ready to play."

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Tennessee State Tigers Entertain Supporters at Fan Day

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  On Saturday, hundreds of Big Blue supporters gathered in the Indoor Football Facility for the Tigers’ annual Fan Day.

The festivities kicked off at 3 p.m. with the introductions of every member of this year’s team. The players then took a seat to sign the new 2013 posters for the many fans who lined up before the event to get all the signatures.

While some were getting autographs, the little Tigers played in an inflatable playground and others listened to 92Q who were on hand for the celebration.

Immediately following the Fan Day, Big Blue went to Hale Stadium for a scrimmage in front of their home crowd. The team treated Saturday’s scrimmage as one of the last tune-ups before the season opener of Sunday night.

The Tigers will host the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. at LP Field for the 15^th annual John Merritt Classic.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SWAC Football Television Schedule Update

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Following the release of the Southwestern Athletic Conference 2013 football 16-game television schedule on July 25, six games were selected to air on regional networks.

The entire SWAC television schedule now includes 11 conference contests to air on several major networks for the upcoming season.

"Not only will SWAC fans be able to see the games nationally, and in high-definition, but they will enjoy the analysis from the networks on-air talent," Sharp added. "With programming on a national stage, the games televised demonstrate the growth of the Southwestern Athletic Conference brand."

The addition to the previous slate now features five homes games at Texas Southern which includes four conference match ups, and the season home opener for Alabama State.

TSU's televised home games will air tape delayed on Tuesday at noon following each scheduled contest.

The line-up of networks to carry the SWAC football broadcast now includes: ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN3, NBC Sports, FOX SportsSouth, CSS, CSN Houston, and Comcast Sportsnet. All games are available in the network's standard high-definition.

The 22-game schedule begins on opening weekend with three non-conference match-ups including Mississippi Valley State against Florida A&M in the 9th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney.

The schedule kicks off on Friday, August 30, at 7:30 p.m. CT when Southern faces Houston and ends with the 2013 Toyota SWAC Championship on Saturday, December 7 at 1:00 p.m. Both games will take place inside Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The schedule now includes 12 non-conference games and six HBCU Classics with eight games slated for tape delay. The Classic games include: Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M (Labor Day Classic), Alabama State at Jackson State (W.C. Gorden Classic), Jackson State vs. Tennessee State (Southern Heritage Classic), Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (Magic City Classic), Alabama State vs. Stillman (Turkey Day Classic) and Grambling State vs. Southern (Bayou Classic).

Game times and television networks are listed below:

Friday, August 30
Southern at Houston (ESPN 3 - 7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, August 31
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Arkansas State (ESPN3 - 6 p.m.)
Alabama State vs. Jacksonville State (CSS - 5 p.m.)

Sunday, September 1
Mississippi Valley State vs. Florida A&M (ESPN - 10:45 a.m.)

Tuesday, September 3
Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Saturday, September 7
Alcorn State at Mississippi State (ESPN3/CSS - 2:30 p.m.)
Alabama State at Jackson State (ESPN3 - 5 p.m.)*
Grambling State at ULM (ESPN3 - 6 p.m.)
Prairie View A&M at Texas State (ESPN3 - 6 p.m.)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at McNeese State (Comcast Sportsnet - 7:30 p.m.)

Saturday, September 14
Alabama State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (ESPN3 - 4:00 p.m.)*
Texas Southern vs. Sam Houston State (Comcast Sportsnet - 7 p.m.)
Jackson State vs. Tennessee State (Fox SportsSouth - 6 p.m.)

Thursday, September 19
Texas Southern at Jackson State (ESPNU - 6:30 p.m.)

Tuesday, October 8
Texas Southern vs. Alabama State (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Tuesday, October 22
Texas Southern vs. Alcorn State (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Saturday, October 26
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (ESPN3 - 2:30 p.m.)*

Tuesday, November 5
Texas Southern vs. Southern (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Tuesday, November 19
Texas Southern vs. Howard (CSN Houston - 12 p.m.)#

Thursday, November 28
Alabama State vs. Stillman (ESPNU - 3 p.m.)

Saturday, November 30
Grambling State vs. Southern (NBC - 1:30 p.m.)

Saturday, December 7
2013 Toyota SWAC Football Championship (ESPNU - 1 p.m.)

Game times are central and subject to change.
* Denotes tape delay and will air at 9:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
# Denotes tape delay following Saturday's game and will air at 12 p.m. on CSN Houston.

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

XU split again, finish 2-2 in UMobile/Spring Hill tourney

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Xavier University of Louisiana women's volleyball team split a pair of matches for the second consecutive day and finished 2-2 in the season-opening UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament.

The Gold Nuggets on Saturday defeated Southern Wesleyan 23-25, 25-22, 27-25, 19-25, 15-12, then lost 25-19, 14-25, 25-18, 25-21 to Mobile.

Taylor Reuther had 21 kills, which tied her career high, and 22 digs against Southern Wesleyan. It was the second 20-20 match of Reuther's career. Moira Kirk had 15 kills and five blocks, and Chinedu Echebelem had nine kills and 17 digs.

Jodi Chatters had 21 digs, and setter Franziska Pirkl recorded the sixth career double-double, 43 assists and a career-best 16 digs.

Kirk had four kills and Reuther three in the fifth set against Southern Wesleyan. The Gold Nuggets won the second set after trailing 17-10. It was the sixth time in the program's six-year history that Xavier won after losing the first set.

Against Mobile, first-year coach Hannah Lawing said Xavier played its best defense of the tournament during the second set -- "Our blockers and back row figured out how to play what we had been teaching them. That's how we dominated that set," Lawing said -- but Mobile closed the third set with an 8-2 run and erased Xavier's 18-15 lead in the fourth.

Xavier will play nine more road matches -- four next week in a tournament at the University of St. Thomas in Houston -- before playing its home opener at 1 p.m. on Sept. 14 against Voorhees at the Convocation Center. Xavier on Friday will play city rival Loyola at 11 a.m. and St. Thomas at 3 p.m. in Houston.

Box scores:  Southern Wesleyan    Mobile

Box scores:  Spring Hill    Asbury

Nuggets lose to Spring Hill, defeat Asbury on opening day

MOBILE, Ala. — Taylor Reuther had 18 kills and 11 digs Friday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-19, 28-26, 25-20 women's volleyball victory against Asbury, giving the Gold Nuggets a split on the first day of the season-opening UMobile/Spring Hill Tournament.

The victory followed a 25-8, 25-20, 25-22 loss to Spring Hill.

Xavier's Hannah Lawing earned her first victory as a collegiate head coach.

The Nuggets' Chinedu Echebelem had eight kills, two aces and nine digs against Asbury, and Jodi Chatters had 15 digs. Against Spring Hill, Echebelem had nine kills and eight digs, and Reuther and Moira Kirk had seven kills apiece. Reuther had 10 digs and Chatters nine.

Xavier trailed Asbury 24-22 in the second set, but four Reuther kills gave the Nuggets a 27-26 lead. Kirk then clinched the set with a kill.

The double-double was the 24th in the career of Reuther, a junior outside hitter who was the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year and a third-team Capital One Academic All-American in 2012.

Spring Hill continued its mastery of Xavier — the Badgers lead the series 13-0 — but Xavier earned its first victory in two tries against Asbury, a 20-match winner each of the past five seasons.

Megan Haber had 14 kills and hit .700 in 20 attacks for Spring Hill, an NAIA National Championship qualifier in 2012 and 2011, and the Badgers outhit Xavier .392 to .139. Xavier outhit Asbury .154 to .127.

"We are still working out the kinks and trying to establish ourselves as a team," Lawing said. "The first match of the season is always tough, especially against a top-30 team like Spring Hill. We definitely made progress today.

"I was proud of our resilience in the second match. I'm also proud that we finished the second set against Asbury after we could've rolled over and let them take that set."

The tournament will conclude Saturday. Xavier will play at noon against Southern Wesleyan in Spring Hill's Arthur Outlaw Rec Center, then travel to the University of Mobile's Pharr Gym for a 3 p.m. match against Mobile.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
XULAATHLETICS

Lane College Burroughs expects to coach a winner

JACKSON, Tennessee  -- It wasn’t long ago Lane football wasn’t much fun. Derrick Burroughs arrived ahead of the 2010 season, and his first year was rough. The Dragons didn’t win a game.

They won four games, though, in 2011. They won five last year.

Burroughs joked around with players at this month’s Media Day, but he generally maintains a businesslike demeanor.

He relished Lane’s landmark wins during his tenure, but he never celebrated long. A good day here or there is not his idea of success.

Burroughs expects the Dragons to contend for an SIAC title, he’s annoyed no one else in the league thinks they will (they were picked next to last in the West), and he believes if players achieve what’s hoped of them Lane is on its way to a great season.

“No team really scares me. We don’t fear anybody,” he said.

CONTINUE READING 

Jackson State ground attack matches air threat

JACKSON, Tennessee  -- The element of surprise isn’t there anymore. After establishing itself as a passing team in 2011, finishing first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in pass offense, Jackson State pounded teams with its rushing attack.

“I’m definitely going to give credit to me and Tommy (Gooden) in the offensive line; we did a good job,” junior Rakeem Sims said. “But people really expected us to pass the ball a lot last year because we came from an air raided (the year before).”

Now, opponents understand the Tigers can hurt them either way. The Tigers’ rushing attack finished second in the conference, averaging 186.9 yards per game while scoring 28 touchdowns.

Sims and Gooden keyed the ground game. Sims was the team’s leading rusher with 824 yards. Gooden added 608 yards, the third-most on the team. Both combined for 14 of JSU’s 28 rushing touchdowns.

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Southern University vs. University of Houston

HOUSTON, Texas  -- The greatest show on TURF comes to Houston's Reliant Stadium. Friday, August 30th @ 7:30pm. For details and hotel discount codes go to www.HoustonJaguars.com.

Texas Southern Athletics makes strides with improvement of facilities

TSU Men's Basketball Players Lounge
(Courtesy TSU Athletics)

HOUSTON, Texas  --   The Texas Southern University Men's and Women's basketball teams locker rooms have received facelifts as both facilities underwent major renovations. After months of planning and hard work from all participants involved the locker rooms were completed and unveiled to the respective coaching staffs and student-athletes.

"Our renovated locker room looks absolutely amazing," said Tim Waller TSU Executive Director of Men's Basketball Operations. "The plans called for the renovations to be a six week project and it ended up taking exactly six weeks and one day to complete. When we started the process we met with Project Manager Joe Ellis roughly five or six times and we explained to him what we would like to see and his team did a tremendous job incorporating our ideas and completing the project from start to finish."

The Men's Basketball locker room features custom made wood locker stalls, three flat screen televisions, leather sofas, and custom embroidered TSU recliner chairs. The men's locker room also has space dedicated for team meetings and film study.

"It was a bit of a challenge to come up with the plans of how we wanted things due to the fact that we were basically looking at a big blank space," said Waller. "But I must say that what we initially visualized and what we ended up getting definitely went above and beyond meeting all of our needs."

The Women's Basketball locker room is equally impressive and also features state of the art design mixed with a unique blend of functionality that gives the space a look and feel like no other. The structure features brand new custom built wood locker stalls, two flat screen televisions, leathers sofas, and custom embroidered TSU recliner chairs.

"We're extremely happy with the renovations to our locker room," said TSU head women's basketball coach Johnetta Hayes-Perry. "Our Director of Athletics Dr. Charles McClelland wanted to provide us with a facility that would allow us to attract and recruit the best student-athletes in the country and now we definitely have that."

WBB Locker Room Photo Gallery

MBB Locker Room Photo Gallery 

 Upon assuming the position of Director of Athletics at Texas Southern University McClelland saw room for facility improvements that could give the athletics program at TSU the boost it needed to become a legitimate contender in all sports. Under McClelland's watch the athletics programs' facilities have steadily improved over recent years with the refurbishing of the departments' weight room, Health and Physical Education Arena, as well as Alexander Durley Field which serves as the home of Lady Tigers soccer and Texas Southern Track and Field.

One of the biggest facility achievements for the program was the construction of the 22,000 seat BBVA Compass Stadium which serves as the home of Tigers football. BBVA Compass stadium is a state of the art facility with all of the amenities and features of a premier sports venue.

When undergoing plans and procedures to improve the inside of H&PE Arena the department also refurbished the hardwood floor in the gym giving the facility a fresh new look. Completed renovations to the TSU Volleyball locker rooms located inside the arena were also completed within recent months.

"The renovations to our locker rooms puts us on par with some of the top Division I programs in the country," said McClelland. "This undoubtedly gives us the ability to recruit the best student-athletes in the nation and it has allowed to bring in some of the talented players that we have within our programs at this time. Hopefully all of this will allow us to continue to compete at a high level across the board."

TSU's athletic facility renovations plans won't stop with the completion of the locker rooms as discussion are underway for additional improvements to structures located on campus.

"As we transition to creating one of the best collegiate game day environments in the country we're looking to add digital electronic scorer tables to our arena," said McClelland. "In addition we also have plans to enhance Alexander Durley Field which serves as our primary track and field facility by increasing the seating capacity to 10,000 and adding restrooms and concession stands for our fans."

To view the completed renovations to the men's and women's basketball locker rooms please visit the links to the photo galleries listed above.

By Andrew Roberts Sports Information Director W Sports
COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

PV-TSU Labor Day Classic News Conference set for August 26th

HOUSTON, Texas -- Texas Southern will kick-off the 2013 football season against Prairie View A&M in the 29
^th Annual Labor Day Classic at the home of the TSU Tigers (BBVA Compass Stadium) on August 31^st at 7:00pm.

Texas Southern ended a five game losing streak last season when they beat Prairie View 44-41 with a 47-yard field goal at the end of the game.  The win was the first game of Texas Southern head coach Darrell Asberry's career as a Tiger.

With one season under his belt, Coach Asberry is preparing to face Coach Heishma Northern and the Panthers again in the Labor Day Classic.

You don't have to wait until game day to see these two coaches square off.  They will meet at the 2013 Labor Day Classic news conference at noon, Monday, August 26^th at BBVA Compass Stadium in the West Club.   The head coaches and athletic directors from both universities will talk about their teams, the game and answer questions.

Comedian, radio personality on the Yolanda Adams Morning Show and TSU alumnus Marcus D. Wiley will host the news conference.

Lunch will be served and credentials distributed to the media.   Texas Southern is the host of the 29^th Annual Labor Day Classic.

What:  2013 Labor Day Classic News Conference
When:  Monday, August 26, 2013 at Noon
Where:  BBVA Compass Stadium – West Club

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Florida A&M Rattlers Keep Pace With Busy Day of Activities

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- With just 8 days remaining until kickoff of the 2013 football season, the Rattlers had quite the eventful day.  Starting with breakfast at 8 a.m. and the team photo shoot immediately after, the team took care of some appearance obligations, all the while fine tuning their game for the season opener. 

After the team photo shoot, the Rattlers had their final scrimmage of the pre-season, going all out as the coaches had their eyes on every detail.  “The offense started off fast in last week’s scrimmage, and today it was the defense.  What we’ve go to do is put it all together, and that’s what the coaching staff and I will be working on,” Head Coach Earl Holmes said.

While the defense dominated the scrimmage, All-American kicker Chase Varnadore split the uprights from 48-yards out, bringing an unusual smile to Holmes’ face.  “My nickname for him is Matador and he is a guy we can depend on.  He just doesn’t miss,” Holmes said.

With all the hitting going on, one of the biggest hits of the days was former Rattler and Oakland Raider offensive tackle Henry “Killer” Lawrence, who stopped by the scrimmage.  Lawrence and Holmes had a lengthy conversation between sessions.  Both played at FAMU and several years in the NFL.  Lawrence was impressed with the caliber of athletes he saw.  “From what I saw today, they’ve got some athletes to work with,” he said.  Holmes invited Lawrence to be with the team at one of the games this year, which he accepted.

Final Fall Scrimmage and Fan Day

After the scrimmage, the team took a much-needed break for lunch and a bit of rest.  At 5 p.m., the team was welcomed to Bragg Stadium for Fan Day.  With nearly 1,000 people in attendance, the team signed posters, took photos and greeted faithful Rattler fans.  There were several give-a-ways assembled by the FAMU Athletics Marketing Department, as the staff had a full lineup of activities for the day.  With music playing, the players got an opportunity to see up close and personal, who would be in the stands rooting for them on Saturdays.

FAMU Vice Pres. For Advancement, Thomas Haynes, Director of Alumni Affairs, Carmen Cummings and Director of Governmental Affairs, Tola Thompson, were among the administrators, faculty and staff who showed up to support the team.

At the conclusion of the Fan Day, the team rushed up to the university quadrangle to take part in the President’s Welcome Pep Rally, put on by FAMU interim President Dr. Larry Robinson.  The event featured several campus groups, step teams, cheerleaders, the Marching “100” and the recording group Jagged Edge. Sunday will be a day to review film, Monday will be the first day of classes and before you know it, it will be game day in Orlando.

The MEAC-SWAC Challenge presented by Disney is Sun., Sept.1, at the Florida Citrus Bowl.  Kickoff is 11:45 a.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN.  The Rattlers will open their home season on Sept.7, as they take on the “Big Blue” Tigers of Tennessee State at 2 p.m. in Bragg Memorial Stadium.  Season tickets, tickets for the MEAC-SWAC Challenge, Florida Classic tickets and single game tickets are available at the FAMU Ticket Office.  They can be reached at (850)599-3141.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: Scrimmage goes well for WSSU this afternoon

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- I decided to cozy up to the defensive players on the sidelines of WSSU’s scrimmage this afternoon because I was convinced the defense would dominate.

As usual, I was wrong.

While the defense did more than held it’s own the offense came to life during certain portions of the scrimmage. Of course, Coach Connell Maynor was hoping for a lot more from his offense but he always expects more.

I’m pretty sure fans who watch the Rams this season are going to see just how good quarterback Kam Smith and those three talented wide receivers – Jamal Williams, Jameze Massey and Jahuann – were because they aren’t around anymore.

Still, even without those players the Rams do have talent on offense and it’s just a matter of time before they get comfortable.

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Alabama A&M's cupboard isn't bare, despite losing many key players

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones assures an interviewer "you'll be looking in the media guide, trying to find out who that is," and knows that Bulldog fans will be digging through programs, going, "Now, who's number so-and-so."

Alabama A&M lost more than 20 seniors from last year's team. There could be as many as 16 new faces in the 2013 starting lineup, counting specialists.

There could be no more convenient point from which to launch into a mournful "woe-is-us" monologue for a coach than those facts. But, fact is, Jones wasn't exactly caught by surprise to see such a talented senior class depart. There was some depth on the 2012 team, a potentially good recruiting class and even some experienced transfers.

"Our cupboard's not completely bare," Jones said, sitting at his desk, scribbling notes in the margin of an A&M roster.



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MEAC/SWAC Challenge By Disney on TJWS Radio Network

ORLANDO, Florida -- ESPN MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE, JIMMIE WILLIAMS -- I'LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME !

Morgan State Completes Final Scrimmage Under The Lights

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- The Morgan State Bears conducted a 90-minute scrimmage Thursday night at Hughes Stadium.

Morgan State approached the scrimmage like a dress rehearsal for the season opener against Army, including an evening kickoff and going through pre-game warm-ups.

Since his team will open the season at night at Army, Morgan State coach Donald-Hill-Eley wanted his team's final scrimmage to be under the lights.

"It was a controlled scrimmage, so you really couldn't get the tempo of the game," said Hill.

"What we tried to do is show what they (Army) do in different field zones as far as down and distance – and getting them used to what their going to see next week.  For the most part I thought it was good and we were able to simulate what they do and we'll be able to look at it. We're not going to be able to gauge the speed that they're going to run things, but at least we'll have an idea and be familiar with what they're doing."


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Hill got exactly the conditions and energy level from the team that he was hoping for and talked about his team's identity.

"Defensively, we're going to have multiple attacks," Hill said. "We're doing a great job with our coverage and a real good job with our run defense."

"As far as our team's identity it still has yet to truly be established.  We 're going against each other everyday in practice, so you get used to what the offense is running and what the defense is running –- so within the first three games of the season we should have developed some kind of identity as a team."

Hill spoke about the play of his quarterbacks.

"I thought the quarterback play was good. This offense requires them to run a lot more than what they've had to in the past, and they've accepted their roles and are doing a good job at it."

Morgan State's coaches got what they expected from their starting units, as well, with those groups mostly having their way against the backups in traditional series and situational scenarios.

As for statistics, there were a number of plays that stood out during the night.

Redshirt-freshman running back Lamont Brown III led the Bears ground attack with runs of 30, 32 and 35 yards

Redshirt-junior quarterback Robert Council broke off a 55-yard run, the longest play of the night
Redshirt-freshman quarterback Moses Skillon scored on a 20-yard keeper

Senior wideout Tubotein Taylor recorded a 45-yard kickoff return

Senior cornerback Joe Rankin blocked a punt

Junior linebacker Cody Acker forced a fumble

Freshman running back Orlando Brown had runs of 32 and 20 yards

Junior quarterback Seth Higgins completed a 25-yard pass to wideout junior Andrew King, and tossed a 45-yard pass to sophomore wideout Grayling Harrison

Freshman quarterback Ricky Fisk completed a 40-yard touchdown pass to freshman wideout Landen Malbrough

Morgan State kicks off the 2013 campaign on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. when it takes on Army live on the CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour cable home of CBS Sports. Morgn State season tickets are available online at www.morganstatebears.com/tickets or by calling the MSU Ticket Office at 443-885-1522.

COURTESY MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Norfolk State Feldman Announces 5 Signees to Tennis Programs

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Norfolk State University head tennis coach Nate Feldman announced the addition of five signees to the programs for fall 2013. The signees include four women, Elizaveta Gordeeva, Ana Popovic, Ana Jovanovic and Krystal Scott, as well as one male, Pascal Domnik.

"I am so excited to announce the arrival of our first, full recruiting class for our women's team," Feldman said. "Coach Browning and I looked at an incredible amount of players to fill out this class and we cannot be happier with the student-athletes we are bringing in. They will be the catalyst to make our team a perennial MEAC contender."

Gordeeva (Minsk, Belarus) played for the Republic State College of Olympic Reserve where she was the doubles runner up at the 2013 Belorussian National Championship. Gordeeva finished in the top 20 in all age groups as she moved through the amateur ranks. She also trained in the same club as current Spartan men's standout Dzmitry Zyhmantovich.

"Elizaveta has a tremendous amount of potential and will be a huge help for us," said Feldman. "She has been steadily improving and almost knocked off one of the top players in all of Belarus at the most recent national championships."

Ranked in every age group as she progressed through the youth ranks in Serbia, Popovic (Belgrade, Serbia) graduated from New Belgrade Touristic School where she trained with top Serbian junior coach Balsa Vujicic. Popovic also competed in basketball, handball and soccer.

"Ana is another great all-around athlete that we are excited to bring in," Feldman stated. "With her attitude, work ethic and all-around game, I expect her to be a regular contributor in our singles and doubles lineups."

Jovanovic (Belgrade, Serbia) has had success both at the Serbian national level and in ITF play. She has competed throughout Serbia, western and eastern Europe. Jovanovic also has the highest incoming rating of any NSU female player ever according to UniversalTennis.com.

"Ana has a tremendous attitude and a very aggressive baseline game with solid groundstrokes," Feldman said. "She is experienced at all levels of play and is looking forward to the challenge of rapidly improving our women's program."

Scott (Gold Coast, Australia) is a transfer from Griffith University in Queensland, one of the top academic schools in the world. She is ranked among the top 400 players in Australia.

"Krystal is a very intelligent and mature young woman with an exciting all-court game," said Feldman. "She has a heavy forehand, can come forward to volley, and has good foot-speed."

The women's signees bolster a team which went 10-8 overall and returns three of its top players in Andrea Macchiavello, Yvonne Kamegne and Mafalda Lhorca.

Domnik (Balingen, Germany) is a transfer from Virginia Commonwealth University with two and a half years of eligibility remaining. Domnik played at positions 3-6 in singles and at the No. 2 doubles position for the reigning Atlantic 10 champions. He is also ranked among the top 200 players in Germany with numerous wins over some of the top German men's open players, international juniors and collegiate players. Domnik is also from the same hometown as fellow Spartan and All-MEAC first-team pick Robin Riethmueller

"We are very fortunate to have a player of Pascal's caliber transfer to Norfolk State." Feldman said. "He will be an immediate impact player for us and should be one of the best players in the MEAC right away."

Domnik joins an NSU team which returns its entire regular lineup that finished as co-champions in the MEAC Southern Division last season.

NSU will begin the 2013 fall schedule in September. On Sept. 13-14, the women's team will travel to Lynchburg, Va., to compete in the Liberty Fall Classic. The men's team will compete at the Georgetown Invitational in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 20-22.

By Chaundrea Lee, Media Relations Assistant
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION